Play-by-email

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Play-by-E-Mail (-Game / -Spiel) (short: PBEM, English: play-by-eMail game - in German: Spiel via E-Mail ) is a game principle for turn-based multiplayer games , in which the actions the player and the results of a play are sent via email via the Internet. This type of game corresponds to that of the classic post game , with the medium of e-mail replacing letters or dispatches . Both board games and computer games can be played as PBEM. Many board games, especially chess in the form of correspondence chess , have been played in a similar way since the 19th century.

The oldest commercial game that Flying Buffalo has hosted since 1970 is Nuclear Destruction . The game WebWar II the company Neolithic Enterprises took the first 1980 in the early years of popular e-mail services. It is based on Starweb , which was also published by Flying Buffalo in 1976.

General

PBEM games are to a certain extent the counterpart of online games among multiplayer computer games . While communication between the computers is synchronous in online games , it is asynchronous in PBEM games . The advantage of this principle is that the players can make their moves at any point in time, which is why not all participants have to sit at the computer at the same time. This is useful for games with players from different time zones . A disadvantage of asynchronous communication is the not inconsiderable amount of time required for a single round, which is caused by waiting for the results of the moves of other players. This is especially the case in games with a turn evaluation, the principle of most board games. If there are a large number of players, games that require simultaneous play, as is the case with the Diplomacy board game, are more suitable .

The essential characteristics of the PBEM result from these two mechanisms of classic board games: the client-based and the host-based PBEM.

Host-based PBEM (simultaneous train evaluation)

Host-based: The players transmit their moves to the host and receive the evaluation from there.

With host-based PBEM, the participating players can send commands in parallel ( i.e. simultaneously) to the game organizer or game host via e-mail . The evaluation of the moves is carried out by the host at certain times that are the same for all players, either manually by a human evaluator or - especially in the case of complex games - by a computer program. The evaluation is then sent to all players at the same time. Large host-based PBEMs can have more than a thousand players in a game. Well-known representatives for evaluators are, for example, the judge at Diplomacy or the game engine of the PBEM Atlantis , of which there is also a German-language offshoot, the German Atlantis, in addition to the English-language original . Eressea , an offshoot of Atlantis, and Legends are examples of PBEMs with a large number of players. Fantasya is another German Atlantis imitation. There are numerous topics that are served by PBEM games - for example: fantasy, science fiction, military or even sports games.

Host-based PBEM games often resemble turn-based browser games in their communication behavior . Sometimes the evaluation takes place at such a fast pace that there is no waiting for the moves of all other players, for example with the commercial PBEM Quest-Online .

Client-based PBEM (sequential train evaluation)

Client-based: The players send their moves directly from one player (client) to the next.

With the client-based PBEM, the moves are sent in turn from one player to the next. The moves are evaluated on the clients of the other players. The active player enters his commands locally in his system and can usually directly observe the effects of his actions. The characters of the other players behave passively or follow predetermined rules. This is also the basic principle of chess, where the active player can capture the other's pieces without the latter being able to intervene until his active phase. Modern computer games of this type, such as Empire , Battle Isle (II & III) , Age of Wonders or Future Wars (2010) , however, have significantly more complex rules and require a special rich client of the game on each player's system. However, rich clients can also display more dynamic and complex multimedia content than would be possible in a browser game or a text-based e-mail game due to their direct control over the hardware on which they run.

Client-based PBEM does not require a central game host that is always available on the network. Individual games can therefore be set up and played without a complex technical infrastructure.

Client-based PBEM is very similar to the hotseat mode that some games offer. In most cases, hot-seat games can also be played simply as an e-mail game by saving and sending the score.

RPG PBEM

RPG-PBEM (also: RPG) form a specialty among the PBEM-games, because the underlying game principle is not strictly turn-based. Rather, the act is played out by each participant describing any actions of his character in texts. These games can also be played as a hybrid of host-based and non-host-based PBEMs. Basically every game has a game master or game host who controls the events and ends a round with his evaluations, so to speak, but the length of such rounds is not strictly defined and the players sometimes communicate with each other directly and at indefinite times in order to play out situations (for example trade in goods). In contrast to a chat role play, a PBEM role play does not run in real time , but the participants can take their time to answer their emails. Examples of games of this kind are Chrestonim, Legends, Heldenwelt, Stargate X , USS Explorer , the DSA fief game and the PBEM Star Trek Community SFG.

Dissemination of PBEM

Determining the popularity of PBEM is difficult because the games, with the exception of the large host-based games, are mostly played decentrally in closed rounds. However, from the number of available computer games and their mention in game forums , magazines and at trade fairs, it can be seen that PBEM is only noticed by a minority of all players. The main reason for this is probably the limited possibility to generate game action , as well as the necessary patience and high endurance that are necessary to play through such a game. In computer games, host-based PBEM games are more widespread than client-based ones, which can be attributed to the easier access to this type of game: Host-based PBEM games usually only require a web browser or thin client or even e-mail only, while client-based PBEM games usually require the purchase of special game software.

literature

  • Christian Wirsig: The great lexicon of computer games. Schwarzkopf & Schwarzkopf Verlag, Berlin 2003, ISBN 3-89602-525-2 .
  • Thorsten Quandt, Jeffrey Wimmer, Jens Wolling: The computer players : Studies on the use of computer games. Vs Verlag, Wiesbaden 2007, ISBN 3-53115-085-5 .

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. Shannon Appelcline (2011): Designers & Dragons. Mongoose Publishing, ISBN 978-1-907702-58-7
  2. Archived copy ( Memento of the original from February 15, 2009 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Chrestonim PBEM @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.chrestonim.de
  3. http://www.heldenwelt.com/ssv/html/legends.html Legends
  4. http://www.heldenwelt.com Heldenwelt
  5. http://de.wiki-aventurica.de/wiki/Briefspiel DSA-Lehnsspiel
  6. http://www.sf-germany.de Starfleet Germany
  7. http://www.pbm.com/~lindahl/pbm.html List of available PBEM games
  8. GameStar , IDG Entertainment GmbH, issues 2 / 2005-3 / 2008
  9. ^ Games Convention , Leipzig 2002–2008